Overview of assignment:
Write a formal, critical, literary essay on Othello in which you contribute to the academic discussion of the play. In other words, you are writing to other students and scholars of Shakespeare, an audience already familiar with the obvious interpretations of the text. Your challenge is to add something new to the discussion.
Argue against an accepted interpretation, offer a new idea that the critics have not yet covered, or have not yet covered in depth. This approach will require that you research what has already been written about your topic choice and that you consider the “so what,” the larger purpose of your essay. In other words, your essay should comment on the points do you think Shakespeare was attempting to make.
It has been argued that Othello is accessible to us today because of the issues of racism, love, betrayal, and jealousy. Choose one of these issues and explain why Othello is accessible to us. Be careful to stay on track, and be sure to focus on the play as you use modern examples as support.
Sample Solution